Criminal District Court Judge Charles Carver recommended...

Criminal District Court Judge Charles Carver recommended that a higher court commute Walter Bell Jr.'s death sentence to life in prison because he is mentally retarded. Bell, now 50, has been on death row since 1975 -- longer than any other inmate. On July 19, 1974, after he was fired, he went to the Chisum home. Irene Chisum, 59, had been raped and strangled and Ferd Chisum, 49, had been strangled and stabbed. Judge Carver made his decision based on evidence from a May hearing. Judge Carver's opinion said Bell fits the Texas guidelines for mental retardation. Carver's ruling will now be forwarded to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Texas' highest criminal court. It is likely that the appeals court will uphold the ruling and decide to commute his death sentence to life in prison. That would mean Bell could be eligible for parole. (See also September 10, 2003)